As I read a bit into this book, I had a chuckle at the naming of Nevada Sweet – she is sour, mouthy, sarcastic and prickly – and has quite the temper to boot. At least on the surface. It takes a while to dig down and find the sweet, but Joseph takes the time and discovers she is aptly named after all.

There was much to love about this book, from cultural identity, personal identity and pasts they are not proud of. The window into a bit of the Navaho culture was fascinating (Nevada thinks so too!). The story builds several story lines and character development naturally and pulls you in until you are a wholehearted fan of Nevada, Joseph and the entire supporting cast of the town of Unforgiven and the Diné.

Nevada and Joseph each battle their own demons, face their own fears both apart and together. Ultimately, they must face an outside demon, and be prepared to fight and defeat it for a chance at happiness. It is a romance, so I don’t think I’m giving too much away when I say that love always prevails. A thoroughly enjoyable and engaging read and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

A journey of discoveries, romance and home💚💙
This was truly a read I did not want to put down until the end. A romance of not only two very different people, but a romance of all that life entails, emotionally and physically.
Everything, the storyline, interactions, sequence just all fit beautifully into this fast paced, all out emotionally charged journey between Nevada and Joseph.
I want to go on and on telling more of the story, but I really recommend just reading it!
I received an advance readers copy thru NetGalley & am giving my honest opinions freely.

This was a very well written book! It was easy to give 5 stars, as the author held true to the style characters, editing was well done (other than just a couple of minor glitches), and the story flowed beautifully. I would describe this book as a little bit historical, definitely adventurous, and some romance.

The main character (Nevada) was a strong woman who came from a rough childhood. As a result, others have to earn her trust and respect, which is far from easy to come by. She meets and works with a Navajo Indian and rents a motor home in his yard. He is the one who breaks thru her armor with calm and careful respect and strength, and earns her trust enough to finally open up about her past. With all of the outside forces going on, the characters given to Nevada and Joseph (the Indian) hold true. I loved how the book was not easy to guess every twist and turn. I found there were plenty of surprises, and I loved this.

This author is now one I will be watching for with future books! I greatly enjoyed the reading experience of this book, and highly recommend it!

Nevada Sweet isn’t sweet. She’s mouthy, wears a chip on her shoulder, and is guaranteed to land herself in hot water when she loses her temper. She’s got a background ripe for trouble so she soldiers on alone, afraid to let anyone close. Darned if I didn’t love her, because I just knew there had to be more to her then meets the eye! Joseph ‘Fishing Eagle’ King is a quiet guy, fights for the underdog, is protective, matter of fact, and has the patience of Job. And I promise you, Nevada couldn’t be luckier, because the person to break through her hard shell needed all the patience they can find!

There’s so much I enjoyed about this book! The Navajo language and stories topped my list, striking a cord with coming to terms culturally about personal identity as well as how others perceive oneself. And seeing Nevada blossom under Joseph’s patient care and subtle nudging was a thing of beauty. Nevada was locked up so tightly, I spent a while wondering if she’d ever open up and come to the point where she could stretch her wings and fly in freedom. Happily, my patience paid off in more ways then one!

Home at Chestnut Creek was one of those reads that strikes a cord and resonates long after finishing. I found myself relating to Joseph’s cultural struggles and empathized with his dilemma. I cheered for every tiny milestone Nevada accomplished and kept my fingers crossed she’d have something good happen to her. The side characters were a riot, exuding small town charm, gossiping bodies, and full support for one of their own, and I couldn’t help but fall under Unforgiven’s spell. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from Forever Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Home at Chestnut Creek is the second installment in Drake’s Chestnut Creek series and it is a doozie! Both the main characters, Nevada and Joseph, are run through the wringer, stripped bare, and remade. They both have a tough, emotional journey to get to their happy ending. This story is well-written, with funny, endearing characters that make you feel like you are catching up with old friends. I was intrigued by Nevada’s character in the first book and I was happy to see her getting her own story and Drake found the perfect man to match her. This book tugs at the heart and is engaging from beginning to end.

Nevada is prickly, rude, brash, flighty, untrusting, and angry. She hides her vulnerability and fear beneath a tough, snarky exterior to keep people at a distance. Running from her past, she cannot let anyone get too close, let herself feel too settled or secure. She always has to look over her shoulder and be ready to run in a moment’s notice. However, she is tired of running, lonely, unsettled and just wants to be free of her past and have a normal life. When she stops in Chestnut Creek to visit an old friend and ask for a job at her café, she had no idea that her entire life was going to change. I enjoyed seeing Nevada’s character grow throughout the story. She was truly a lovely person at heart once she let her guard down and let others see the real her. I loved her interaction with Joseph and watching their slow friendship turn into something more built on a deep bond of trust, understanding and love. Their relationship was nicely paced throughout the story with believable bumps in the road and hardships they had to work through to get their happy ending.

Joseph is a troubled guy trying to get back to his roots, keep his promise to his deceased grandmother and live by the ways of his people while giving back to his community. He is trying his hardest to fit back in to the Navajo community where he was raised but because of past hurts from his youth, his guilt and haunted memories keep holding him back from his family and truly embracing all he can be. He is charismatic, easy going, and has a good heart. However, he still feels like an outsider in the Navajo community, no matter how much he tries to help out. He works as a cook at the café but has dreams and plans for more. When Nevada blows in like a tornado, he is intrigued by the quick-witted, spitfire. He glimpses the vulnerability she tries to hide underneath her rough exterior and wants to help. The closer they become, the stronger their bond and the feelings simmering beneath the surface grow to more. I love the comparisons Drake uses for Joseph to describe his ‘handling’ of her. They are a perfect fit for her personality and growth. I enjoyed the look into the Navajo community, their traditions, and language. I also love the name Joseph’s mother gives Nevada, it is very fitting.

Though Home at Chestnut Creek is the second book in the series it can be read as a stand-alone. I think it would be a more enjoyable reading experience to read the series in order to fully understand the background and characters but it is easy to understand and follow along, either way. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

*I received an advanced copy of this read from the publisher, via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily providing my honest review. Thank you, Ms. Drake, for a lovely story.

At first I was not sure how I would feel about a book featuring Nevada as a protagonist. I liked her as a secondary character in the first book of the series but thought she might be a little much as a lead character. She is all sarcasm and bristly toughness but Drake definitely lets us seen her soft and wounded inner core in this book. Fish was a lovely hero,. He is calm and kind. Neither of them expect to be drawn to the other, which is usually where the fun begins, but honestly I am not sure that I really felt the romantic connection between the two. I definitely appreciated their growing friendship and they both really needed a friend. I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.